Parent's Guide to Compass
Launch Compass: Click Here
Overview
The Compass Parent Portal is an integrated, online portal that allows you to access up-to-date and meaningful information about our school and your child's progress. Compass includes many different features, including the ability to:
- - Monitor your child's attendance, and enter an explanation for absence or lateness
- - Communicate with your child's teachers
- - Update you family contact information
- - View your child's timetable and the school calendar
- - Monitor your child's homework and assessment tasks
- - Download and view your child's Semester Reports and Progress Reports
- - Book Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences
- - Pay and provide consent for events and school fees
Please keep in mind that your school may not be using all of the modules indicated in this article, and your school may not have turned on access to parents to all functions within the portal.
Accessing Compass
Compass is a web-based system that is accessible on any modern web browser (Internet Explorer, FIrefox, Chrome, Safari) or by using the Compass iOS or Android apps. Search for 'Compass School Manager' in the store.
Every family receives a separate login to Compass, which will be provided to you by the school. If you are having trouble finding the Compass link for your school you can go to https://merbeinp10-vic.compass.education where you can search for and find our school's direct URL.
Logging in to Compass
Upon first login, you will be required to change your password and confirm your email address and mobile phone number. These details may be used by the school for SMS, password recovery and email communication throughout the year.
If you have lost your details or forgotten your password, you can recover your details by clicking the 'Can't access your account?' link on the front page.
Homepage
The home screen provides you with relevant alerts and news, as well as quick access to your child’s profile.
Main Menu
Allows you to access other Compass and school resources. The options available here may vary based on your school's use of Compass, more information on these icons is provided in the next section.
Tools
The Tools Menu (cog icon) allows you to update your contact details and change your password.
Alerts
Custom notifications for items that require your action or attention. These may include excursion notifications, ordering options for school photos, absence notifications, surveys, student report availability and more.
- - Outstanding absences or late arrivals that require a note or approval
- - Course Confirmations or payments that need processing
- - Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences that are available for booking
- - Excursions or Events that require consent and/or payment
- - School photos that are available for purchase
- - Semester Reports or Progress Reports that are available to download.
Your Child/ren
This section provides you with a quick summary of available options, and highlights a summary of upcoming and overdue tasks. To access more information click on the relevant quick link or select 'Profile' to access details information about your child. Options here may include:
- - Your child/ren's profile page
- - Email functionality
- - Attendance pages customised for your children, where notes/approvals can be entered
- - Academic reports for your child
- - Parent/Student/Teacher Conference bookings
- - Any overdue Learning Tasks that your student has not yet submitted.
News
Recent school news items and information relevant to parents. This may include newsletters, details of upcoming events and much more.
Menus and Functions
The Home icon will take you back to the Home page.
The Calendar icon will take you to the school calendar, where you will be able to see the schedules of your students, as well as any school events or activities that have been entered to the calendar.
The Pencil icon will bring up the Teaching and Learning menu, from which you can access Learning Tasks and School Resources.
The Two People icon will bring up the Community menu, from which you can access Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences, School Photos, and School Documentation.
The Star icon will bring up the Favourites menu, where any websites that the school has added will be linked.
To the right of the screen, your name will display, with the Cog icon, which will bring up the Tools menu, from which you can access your Payments, your Files, reset your password, update your contact details, and log out.
Clicking on your name will take you to your profile page.
Adding a Note or Approval
If your child has any unapproved absences or late arrivals, you will receive an alert on your Compass home page letting you know this, and allowing you to add a Note or Approval. 
Clicking on this notification will take you to the Unexplained tab for that child's attendance, where you can choose to add a Note or Approval for one or more absences. To add a note or approval, select one or more of the absences listed, then select the 'Explain with Note/Approval' button.
Please note that you cannot edit you notes or approvals after they've been created. If you do need to make any amendments please contact your school, as they can do this for you.
Adding a Note/Approval for a Future Absence
You can also enter notes and approvals in advance, if you know that your child is going to be absent from school (e.g. scheduled family holiday).
To do this from your homepage, click on the 'Add Attendance Note/Approval' link listed underneath the name of the relevant student. 
This will take you to the Attendance screen, with a pop-up window to enter details of the note or approval. Here you can select the applicable date range - in the future if required.
Future Compass Modules